Beauty Instead of Ashes

            Firebird from Disney's Fantasia is one my favorite animated films. So much rich symbolism of our strong and mighty God and His creation of us, his beautiful sons and daughters. He gives each of us unique gifts to be used for His glory. He breathes life into us; calling us to serve and worship but also to further His Kingdom.
            However, there is another who is aware of our gifts and our calling....the enemy of God; our enemy. This enemy is awaken when he sees activity that comes from God. He seeks to steal, kill and destroy. At times he seems to have overcome; to have won. But Almighty God comes where we are knowing we feel defeated and very small. And He breathes life back into us. He nudges us even in our brokeness, weakness and in our desperation. And if we focus our eyes on Him and choose to let Him into our pain, He in His strength picks us up and carries us through the shed tears of shame and sadness. Those tears are not wasted in His sight. He uses them to make something beautiful. There is a renewed way to reach the calling He has for each of us. The journey of life is more beautiful and much stronger than it was before the battle. Life submitted under Him brings Him glory. We are lifted higher as we magnify Him, his sons and daughters, heirs to His Kingdom. The enemy no longer has power; for we are more than conquerors in Christ.
     
        My favorite scene in this beautiful piece is after the enemy seems to have destroyed her; the strong buck breathes life back into her, nudges her and she takes hold of him as he lifts her up to himself.  I know God has done this very things for me after battles in my life. He is so good!
     As I continued to watch where her tears fell on ashy land and plants come to life through the desolation, I remembered the words in a scripture, "beauty for ashes". I found the scripture passage and was delighted to find similarities between the passage and the film.

       "To grant to those who mourn in Zion - to give them an ornament of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a heavy, burdened and failing spirit -that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. And they shall rebuild the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former desolations and renew the ruined cities, the devastation of many generations."  ~ Isaiah 61:3-4 

What a beautiful reminder of His strength, grace, joy, hope and love. I hope you will find that in Him today.